Firearm



Dec. 12, 1944. c YOUNG 2,365,036

FIREARM Filed Jan. 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l C. A. YOUNG Dec. 12, 1944.

.FIREARM Filed Jan. 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zs nncntor Gttome SPatented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATE S FATENT OFFICE FIREARM Charles A.Young, Springfield, Ohio Application January 26, 1939, Serial No.252,919

construction as well as the means and mode of 15 Claims.

This invention pertains to repeating firearms of th magazine type andmore particularly to alternate optionally selective fire controlmechanisms therefor, and means for quickly convert ing the arm fromsafety controlled to straight fire operation and vice versa. In guns ofthis type a forearm is slidably mounted upon the magazine which has anaction bar and a stop is provided for this action bar which retains theforearm and action bar against rearward movement when the gun is readyfor firing. It has, been usual to provide some sort of a lock for thesear which controls the hammer which is manually operated and which mustbe operated to release the sear before the gun can be fired.

In the present disclosure there is shown and described an optional firecontrol mechanism comprising an automatic sear lock controlled by themovement of the action bar, which forms the subject matter of my PatentNo. 2,200,868, issued May 14, 1940, upon a copending application SerialNo. 227,781, filed August 31, 1938, of which the present application isa continuation in part, with which is combined alternative fire controlmechanism from which the sear lock feature is eliminated, so that thegun may be employed in straight fire operation.

By safety control operation is meant the condition wherein the impactmember or hammer is normally locked against accidental discharge andmust be unlocked each time the gun is fired, preparatory to release oftheimpact. member or hammer, which in the illustrated construction iseffected by a final retractive movement of the action bar. By straightfire operation is meant the condition of operation wherein the impactmember or hammer lock is disabled and the hammer is free for release andis conditioned for repetitions firing operations without the necessityof unlocking the hammer preparatory to each firing operation.

In the present instance provision is made for converting the firearmfro-m one such condition of operation to the other, while permittingrepetitious firing operations under both conditions of use.

The present construction is an amplification of the aforementionedpatented structure whereby the gun is optionally operable either with orwithout the forearm and action bar controlled safety sear lock feature.In this respect it differs from other known prior art structures whereinwhen the safety feature is disabled, the gun is rendered unusable.

operation of firearm safety features wherein the gun is adapted to awider range of used. and for optional operation with or without suchsafety fire control devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide alternate optionallyselective fire control means, and a manual means adjusting device bywhich the gun may be easily and quickly converted from straight fireoperation to safety controlled operation, and vice versa.

A further object of the invention is to amplify the disclosure of myPatent No. 2,200,858 by adding thereto means for optionally renderingthe forearm and action bar controlled safety features ineffective andenable the alternate normal 'operation of the gun.

A further object of the invention is to provide alternate forms ofcontrol means for converting the safety fire control operation into astraight fire operation.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will morefully appear in the specification, the invention intended to beprotected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction,the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or theirequivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinalsection of so much of a gun as is necessary to illustrate the first formof the invention, the parts being shown in firing position with theimpact member or hammer cocked.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1 after thegun has been fired. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the partsshown in Fig. 2 and also an enlargement of some of the parts shown inFig. l with the exception that the action parts are shown after the gunhas been fired instead of before firing as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section on a slightly enlarged scale onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing some of the parts in one workingposition.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but with the parts in a difierentworking position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the action from theopposite side as seen in Fig. 1 and on a slightly enlarged scale ascompared to that view.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line I-I of Fig. 4 on anenlarged scale with the parts in one working position.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 with the parts in a different workingposition.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a detail on the same scale as isemployed in Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinalsection of the second form of my invention, the parts being shown infirin position with the impact member or hammer cocked.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged top plan view of some of the parts shown in Fig.10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged side elevation of some of the parts shown in Fig.10.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of a detail hereinafter described.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 9,inclusive, of the drawings, I represents a portion of the barrel of thesun, 2 a portion of the stock and 3 the housing which encloses andsupports the action. The usual breech block is indicated at 4 and firingpin at 5. A portion of the magazine is indicated at 6 and a portion ofthe forearm at I, the forearm being slidably mounted upon th magazineand having the usual action bar 8 which when the forearm is manipulatedserves to retract the breech bolt, to cock the impact member shown inthe present case as a pivoted hammer 9, eject the exploded shell andplace a new shell upon the shell carrier II].

The stop for the action bar is indicated at II, this stop being in thenature of an elongated bar which is pivoted at I2. The main spring forthe hammer is indicated at I3, this spring being a coil spring whichencircles a rod I4, which is slidably mounted at its rear end in abridge portion I of the action support I6, and has its forward endpivotally connected to the hammer by a head I? which is pivoted to thehammer by the pin I8. This head H has connected therewith a spring wireor rod I9, the rear 'end of which is t formed with a bent portion I9which extends into a groove 20 of a plate 2I which is fastened to theaction bar stop II as a result of which when the hammer is moved tococking position the action bar stop will be tilted to a position tobring the forward end thereof in the path of the action bar but when thegun is fired the stop will be tilted to a position out of the path ofthe action bar.

The pivot pin I2 for the stop II extends into a slotted opening 22 in aportion of the frame It so that the stop will be permitted alimitedrearward movement against the tension of a coil spring 23, oneend of which is connected to the stop and the other end to a suitableportion of the frame. Thestop II has on its rear end a foot 24 whichcontacts with an abutment 25 to limit rearward movement.

The sear which engages the notch 9' in the hammer is indicated at 26 andin the preesnt case is shown as an integral part of the trigger 21 whichis pivoted at 28. A small coil spring 26' serves to move the sear to aposition to engage the hammer when the hammer is cocked. The forward endof the sear has a small projection 26" which cooperates with a lock forthe ear.

In this form of the invention the lock is shown as a rotatable pin 29which is rotatably mounted in a portion of the finger guard 30 and isheld against endwise movement in one direction in any suitable way suchas by the side of the hous.. ing 3. The pin has a notch 3I which isbrought into or out of the path of the projection 26" by rotation of thepin. To rotate the pin the pin has a projecting finger 32 which extendsinto' a yoke 33 which projects from the stop I I.

In this form of the invention in order to convert the gun from safetyfire control to straight fire operation the pin is slidably mounted sothat it can be forcibly moved from left to right. When it is so moved itwill be snapped over the bent portion 34 of a spring 35 (best shown inFig. 6) so that the bent portion will engage in a recess 36 to yieldablyhold the locking pin in disabled position. It may be stated that thisbent portion 34 also serves by engagement with the end of the pin tohold the pin in its operative locking position just described. When thepin is moved to the right a low portion 31 is brought beneath the searso that the locking pin will have no effect upon the sear and the gunmay be used as a straight action gun. It may be stated that when thelocking pin is moved'to disabled position the projection 32 will ofcourse be moved out of the forked portion 33 of the action stop and intoa recess 38 in the frame. In the operation of this form of the inventionwhen the locking pin is in its locking position, and the gun is firedthe spring I9 sliding in the groove 20 swings the stop II out of thepath of the action bar so that the forearm'and its action bar may bemoved. rearwardly to perform their proper functions, one of which is tocock the hammer. The action bar by reason of its close proximity to theenlargement II on the forward end of the stop holds the stop againstreturn movement. This results in the spring I9 being moved to the otherend of the groove and bearing thereon so as to tilt the stop II as soonas the action bar has been moved out of the way with the enlargement II'thereof to the position shown in Fig. 1. In the meantime the spring 23has moved the stop I I forwardly so as to rock the lock 29 to theposition shown in Figs. 4 and 7 to thereby lock the sear. If it isdesired to fire the gun it is necessary to move the forearm slightly tothe rear which causes the action bar 8 by contacting the enlargement IIof the stop II to move the stop rearwardly against the abutment 25 whichrocks the locking pin' 29 to the position shown in Fig. 6 to therebyunlock the sear. The shooter must hold the forearm and action bar inthis position until the gun is fired. In the event that it is desired todelay the firing of the gun for any reason the shooter by merelyreleasing the forearm permits the arm, action bar and action bar stop tobe moved forwardly under the influence of the spring 23 to again rockthe locking pin to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 7 and lock thesear.

When the locking pin is moved to its alternate position by which the gunis converted from safety fire control to straight fire operation, thesear will be entirely unlocked thereby, the only lock for the hammerbeing the detent connected with the trigger, so that the gun may be usedas a straight action gun.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 13, 4I represents a portion of the barrelof the gun, 42 a portion of the stock and 43 the housing which enclosesand supports the action. The breech block is indicated at 44 and firingpin at 45. A portion of the magazine is indicated at 46 and a portion ofthe forearm at 41, the forearm being slidably mounted upon the magazineand having attached thereto the usual action bar 48 which when theforearm "is manipulated serves to retract the breech bolt to cook theimpact member shown in the present case as a pivoted hammer 49 andperform its other usual functions which are not a part of this in.-vention.

The stop for the action bar is indicated at this stop being in thenature of an elongated bar which has an extension 5| to form a releasewhich is no part of the present invention. This stop 5| is pivotallymounted upon a pin 6| which is the pin upon which the sear is pivoted.The main spring for the hammer is indicated at 53, this spring being acoil spring, the forward portion of which is located in a slide ablymounted hollow plunger 54 and the rear portion of which encircles thefixed pin 55. The forward end of this plunger has a conical depressionto receive the conical end of a link 5B,which link is pivotallyconnected to the hammer by a pin 51. The forward end of the plunger 54has connected therewith an angularly shaped member 58, the angularportion of which is located in a slot 5|" in the action bar stop 5| as aresult of which when the hammer is moved to cooking position the actionbar stop will be tilted upwardly to a position to bring the forward endthereof in the path of the action bar but when the gun is fired the stopwill be tilted downwardly to a position out of the path of the actionbar. The action bar stop is moved rearwardly by the action bar againstthe tension of a spring to be described which spring action will projectit forwardly when the gun is fired.

The member 58 is shifted to and fro intermediate the upper and lowerarms of the bifurcated member 5| in unison with the movement of thespring plunger 54, incident to the cocking and release of the hammer.

In such movement, the spring plunger 58 is caused to bear on the lowerarm of the member 5| alternately at opposite sides of its pivot 6|.

This causes the member 5| to be tilted with its forward end elevatedinto the path of the action bar when the hammer is cooked, and to beautomatically depressed upon release of the hammer.

The scar which engages the notch 49' is indicated at 59 and in thepresent case is shown as an integral part of the trigger 60 which ispivoted at B I. A small coil spring 62 serves to move the sear to aposition to engage the hammer when the hammer is cooked.

In this form of the invention the lock for the trigger and sear is shownas a bell crank pivoted at 63, the long arm 64 of which projects toengage or disengage the trigger and the short arm '55 of which projectsin proximity to a pin 66. The locking portion 64 of the bell crank leveris urged to locking position by a plunger 81 and spring 68 but is thrownout of locking position by the rear end of the stop 5| when movedrearwardly by the action bar. In the present case the action bar hasconnected therewith a member =69 having a tail portion 10 which extendsto the forward end of the stop 5| so that when the stop is in the pathof the member 69 it will be moved rearwardly to cause the stop to put apressure upon the arm 84 of the bell crank lever and release thetrigger. When the gun is fired, however, the plunger 54 and the angularmember 58 connected therewith will move forward and downward pressurewill be exerted upon the stop 5| by the spring plunger 58 to bring theforward end thereof downwardly out of the path of the member 69 of theaction bar.

crank lever will be moved forward by the plunger 61 as well as theaction bar stop so as to be in a position to again engage the triggerwhen the trigger is released.

This part of the construction is the same in principle as that shown inFigs. 1 to 9, inclusive, the difierence being the form of means fordisabling or throwing the lock 64 out of commission which lock will nowbe described. The pin 66 has thereon a lip II and this pin is rotatablymounted so that the lip H can be pro-- Jected beneath the rear end ofthe short arm 65 of the bell crank lever so as to tilt the bell cranklever to the position shown in Fig. 10 in which position the gun may beused as a straight fire gun.

this "case the lip H is turned'sufiiciently beneath the short arm 65 toengage the notch '65 in the arm to hold the pin in position duringfiring of the gun. The pin 66 is provided with a head 66' having a slot66" to receive a suitable tool, which head is located on the outside ofthe gun for ready manipulation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1.. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, atrigger-operated sear to hold said member cocked, a lock for said sear,an actuating device, and means operated by a limited rearward movementof said device to operate said lock to release said sear, said sear lockbeing mounted for alternative movement into operative position, whereinit is capable of further movement into and out of locking relation withthe sear under influence of the actuating device, and into aninoperative position beyond the field of influence of the actuatingdevice, wherein it is incapable of locking engagement with the sear.

2. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, locking meansfor temporarily preventing release of the impact member, a slidablymounted action bar, means for mounting the locking means for movementinto and out of alternate positions in one of which it is adjustableinto and out of relation to prevent release of the impact member, meansoperated by a limited rearward movement of the action bar to operate thelocking means to release the impact member when the locking means is inthe said one position, the locking means being ineffective when in theother of said alternative positions to prevent release of the impactmember during any portion of the cycle of operation of the gun.

3. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, a lockingmeans for temporarily preventing release of the impact member, aslidably mounted iore arm, a reciprocatory action bar connectedtherewith, means operated by a limited rearward movement of said forearm and action bar to operate the locking means to permit release of theimpact member, a mounting in which the locking means is bodily movableinto and out of alternate positions, in one of which it is adjustableunder control of the fore arm and action bar into and out of relation toprevent At the same time the locking part 64 of the bell 7 5 release ofthe impact member, and in the other of which it is beyond control of theaction bar and inefiective to prevent release of the impact memberduring any cycle of operation of the gun.

4. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, locking meansfor temporarily preventing release of the impact member, a slidablymounted action bar, a yieldable stop for said action bar having limitedmovement and operatively associated with said locking means, meansoperated by the impact member to move the stop into and out of the pathof theactionbar, the stop being in the path of the action bar when theimpact member is cocked, and means'operated by a limited rearwardmovement of the bar 'to move said stop and cause the same to operatesaid locking means to permit release of said impact member, a mountingin which the locking means is mounted for movement into alternateeffective and ineffective positions in the first of which it is capableof further alternating adjustment under control of the action bar intoand out of relation to prevent release of the impact member while in thelatter of which it is incapable of preventing release of the impactmember during any portion of the cycle of operation of the gun.

5. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, a triggeroperated sear to hold said member cocked, a lock forsaid sear, aslidably mounted actuating device, a stop member for said device havinga limited movement, means to connect said stop member with said lock,means operated by the impact member to move said stop member into thepath of said actuating device when said impact member is cocked and tomove it out of the path of said actuating device when the gun is fired,a spring for said stop member normally tending to move it to a positionto move said lock to locking position, said actuating device by alimited rearward-movement thereof adapted to contact said stop memberand move it a limited distance against the tension of said spring tocause'it to move the lock to unlocking position, said sear lock beingmounted for alternating movement'into and out of operative andinoperative positions, in the first of which it is eiiective to lock andunlock the sear under control of the actuating device, and in the latterof which it is ineffective to lock the sear during any portion of thecycle of operation of the gun.

6. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, atrigger-operated sear to hold said member cocked, a lock for said sear,a slidably mounted action bar, a yieldable stop for said action barhaving a limited movement and operatively associated with said searlock, means to throw the stop into and out of the path of said actionbar, the stop being in the path of said action bar when the impactmember is cooked, means operated by a limited movement of said stop whenoperated by a limited rearward movement of said action bar to move saidstop to cause the same to rock said sear lock to unlock said sear, andmeans for mounting the lock for move ment into and out of alternatepositions in one of which it is adjustable by said limited movement ofsaid stop.

7. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, atrigger-operated sear to hold said member cocked, a lock for said searconsisting of a rotatable pin having a notch in one portion thereof andalso having a low portion, an actuating device, and means operated by alimited rearward movement of said device to rotate said pin to bring thenotch in the path of the sear to temporarily release said sear, said pinbeing slidably mounted to bring the low portion thereof in the path ofsaid sear to entirely free said pin from said sear.

8. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, atrigger-operated sear to hold said member cocked, a lock for said searconsisting of a rotatable pin having a notch in one portion thereof anda low portion in another portion thereof, a slidably mounted action bar,and means operatedby a limited rearward movement of said bar to rotatesaid pin to bring the notch in the path of said sear to unlock saidsear, said pin being slidably mounted so that the lowportion thereof canbe brought into the path of said sear to entirely free said pin fromsaid sear.

9. In a gun, a fire control mechanism optionally convertible fr-omsafety control condition to free straight fire condition, including animpact member, a slidably mounted action bar, locking means normallypreventing release of the impact member and operable by a limitedrearward movement of said action bar to release said impact memberduring a period of safety control operation, a mount for said lockingmeans Wherein the locking means is manually adjustable to an idleposition during a period of straight, free fire operation whereinrepetitious unrestricted cycles of the gun operation is permitted.

10. In a gun, fire control mechanism alter nately subject to safetycontrol operation and free straight fire operation, including an impactmeme ber, a slidably mounted action bar, a; movable stop for said barsubject to limited rearward movement by a rearward pull upon said bar,looking means normally preventing release of the impact member during aperiod of safety control operation and operable through medium of'saidstop upon the aforesaid limited rearward movement thereof underinfluence of the action bar to permit release of the impact member, amount for said locking means wherein the locking means is manuallyadjustable to an idle position beyond control of the'stop and actionbar, during a period of straight free fire operation of the gun.

11. In a gun, a fire control mechanism optionally convertible from acondition of safety control operation to a condition of free straightfire operation, including an impact member, locking means normallypreventing release of the impact member during a period of safetycontrol operation, a slidably mounted actuating device therefor by alimited rearward movement of which the locking means is adjusted topermit release of the impact member, a mount for the locking meanswherein it is adjustable to a position so as to be ineffective tocontrol release of the impact member during a period of straight freefire operation of the gun. v

12. In a gun, a, fire control mechanism optionally convertible fromsafety control condition to straight free firing condition and viceversa, including an impact member, locking means normally preventingrelease of the impact member during a period of safety controloperation, a'slidably mounted actuating device, a movable stop capableof limited rearward movement into and out of the path of the actuatingdevice and engageable thereby when the impact member is cooked, saidstop being operatively associated with said locking means, and operatedby the movement of the actuating device to adjust said looking means topermit release of the impact member, a mount for said locking means inwhich the locking means is movable to an idle position wherein it isineifective to control operation of the impact member during a period ofstraight free fire operation of the gun. I

13. A fire arm wherein an impact firing member is retracted by areciprocatory action bar and restrained in its retracted position byengagement therewith of a trigger operated sear, characterized by a firecontrol mechanism optionally convertible alternately for safety controloperation and free "straight fire operation, including a locking memberarranged to temporarily lock said sear, means for mounting said lockingmember for both rotary and reciprocatory adjustment, means responsive toreciprocatory motion of the action bar to oscillate said locking memberinto and out of sear locking relation, said locking member" beingmanually reciprocable into and out of operative relation with the sear.

14. An optionally operable straight fire and safety controlled fire armwherein an impact firing member is retracted by a reciprocatory actionbar, characterized by a locking member, a mounting in which the lockingmember is capable of both oscillatory and reciprocatory motion, saidlocking member being subject to oscillatory adjustment under control ofthe action bar during a period of safety control operation into and outof position to prevent release of the firing member while in oneposition of reciprocatory adjustment and inoperative to prevent releaseof the firing member and beyond influence of the action bar while inanother position of reciprocatory adjustment during a period of straightfree fire operation. r

15. In a gun of the character described, an impact member, a triggeroperated sear to hold said member cocked, a lock for said sear in theform of a pivoted bell crank lever, a slidably mounted action bar, ayieldable stop for said action bar having a, limited movement andoperatively associated with one arm of said bell crank lever, means tothrow the stop into and out of the path of said action bar, the stopbeing in the path of said action bar when the impact member is cooked,means operated by a limited movement of said stop when operated by alimited rearward movement of said action bar to move said stop to causethe same to rock said sear lock to unlock said sear, and a movablemember operable upon the other arm of said sear lock to hold the sameout of sear locking position.

CHARLES A. YOUNG.

